Harry j



(No Model.)

H. J. LEWIS. Y NAIL HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR HAMMERS. I .No. 543,255. Patented July 23, 1895. r

msssss; 2 [MENTOR 4 By M I'M/mfg ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI HARRY J. LEWIS, or RUSK, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WADE B.

" I 'NEELY, or SAME PLACE.

NAIL-HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR HAMMERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,255, dated July 23, 1895. Application filed April 24, 1895 Serial No. 547,001. (No model.)

- To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY J. LEWIS, of

- Rusk, in the county of Cherokee and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Nail-Holding 'Attachment for Hammers, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the inventionis to provide a newand improved nail-holding attachment for hammers, which is simple and durable in construction, easily applied to any hammer, and adapted to securely hold the nail in place preparatory to driving it home.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig.2 is an enlarged side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same, and Fig. 4. is a plan view of the same as applied.

The improved nail-holding attachment is A provided with a clip-band A, adapted to pass around the handle B near thehammer-head G, as is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The clip-band A is provided with a longitudinallyextending projection A, on the front end of which are formed arms A A on which are fulcrumed jaws E E, adapted to engage and hold a nail F, as is plainly illustrated-in Fig. 4, with the head of'the nail resting against the side of the hammer-head O in the rear of the.jaws E E. The jaws are normally closed by springs G G pressing on the rear ends of the jaws and extending into an aperture A formed in the projection A, as-is plainly indicated in Fig. 3. A pin H passes through the aperture A to hold the springs G G in place. A screw D passes through the projection A. and the side of the hammerhead 0 and screws into the end of the handle B and the head-ferrule. By this arrangement the clip-band A is securely fastened in place on the hammer. so

Now, it will be seen by the arrangement hammer, substantially as shown. and dedescribed, the operator can readily pass a nail between the jaws E E at the front serrated ends to hold the nail in place, as illustrated in Fig. 4., to start the nail into the object pre- Vious to driving it home by the hammer. This nail-holding attachment is very serviceable for the use of workmen, mechanics, and others having but one arm, or having lost the thumbs of their hands, as they can conveniently place the hammer on their lap or,upon a table, insert with one hand a nail'between the jaws E E, and then start'the nail into the object preparatory to driving it home with the hammer.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A nail holding attachment for hammers, comprising a clip band adapted to be attached to a hammer handle, and provided with a longitudinally extending projection having an aperture formed therein, transverse arms on the front end of said projection, jaws pivoted on the said arms and adapted to. extend over the side of the hammer head, springs normally closing the said jaws and extending into the aperture in the projection, and a screw passing through the said projection and securing the attachment in place on the 8o scribed.

2. A nail holding attachment for hammers, comprising a'clip band adapted to be attached to a hammer handle and provided with a longitudinal projection having an aperture formedtherein, transverse arms on the front end of the said projection, jaws pivoted on the said arms and adapted to extend over the 1 side of the hammer head, springs normally closing the said jaws and extending into the said aperture, apin passing through the aperture to hold the springs in place, and a screw passing through an opening in the said proj ection and adapted to pass through the ham mer head ferrule and screw into the hammer 9 5 handle, substantially as shown and described.

HARRY' J. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

J OE B. COPELAND, BEN PRYoR. 

